I left the campground at 9:00am, made a couple of stops and headed for the border. I will not have cell service at all in Canada and wifi only when I can find a free wifi option.
Actually my cell service stopped before I even made the border. I reached the border at 11:30am and there were a few trailers in front of me that were crossing.
The event organizer had sent advice about border crossing I read a few articles about crossing with a travel trailer. They mean business and searching a car and travel trailer could cost you an hour or so. We were advised to bring no fresh foods, take sunglasses off, no guns, have all paperwork for car and trailer at hand, no joking, only answer exactly what you are asked, etc, etc.
When it was my turn I pulled up to a female border agent. She did not smile thru the entire transaction. Some of the questions I was asked:
Why are you visiting Canada? Where in Canada are you visiting? How long will you be in Canada? When was the last time you were in Canada? Is there anyone else in the car? Where do you work? What type of work do you do? What is your home address? Do you have any guns, mace, pepper spray, taser, stun gun, etc? Do you own a gun?
The strangest question was “Have you ever been to court?”…I said well I have been on jury duty so I have been in courtrooms.
She finally stopped asking me questions and handed me my passport and said “Pull Thru”…..no Welcome to Canada or any pleasantries.
Canada, Here I Come!
110 Kilometers per hour is about 68 miles per hour
77 Kilometers to Winnipeg – About 48 miles
The road once you crossed into Canada was bad. Washboard bumping for miles and miles….I was hoping that all of Canada was not like that.
Welcome to Winnipeg
Just outside Winnipeg, I caught up to 3 trailers traveling together and followed them to the event. It was several miles as the event was way out of the west edge of town.
I caught up to 3 other trailers
I followed them to the event
I made it!
August 15-19, 2018 – Red River Exhibition Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Waiting to check in
Entry to the park – The castle entry is for another event being held in the park later in the year
At check in I rec’d a registration package with everything I would need for the four days.
The organizer had pre-mapped us in to zones. Those of us with generators were put in a special zone to keep the noise on the outskirts of the park. There were a limited amount of sites with electric hook up by extension cord that were given to those with medical needs for electricity. This park is not a campground so you are dry camping.
It was very windy and warm. It was 89 degrees today or to the Canadians – 32 degrees and of course all the Canadians are moaning about the heat. It was not that bad and really no humidity. The Sat and Sun before we came it was 97 and 98 degrees. Average temperature here for this time of year is 76-78.
So I arrived at 1:15pm and by 2:00pm I left the park to explore Winnipeg and get some lunch. My first stop was literally one block from the park at “Tim Hortons”. Tim Hortons is basically the Starbucks of Canada and beloved by all Canadians. They serve coffee, donuts, pastries and a few lunch items. They are about every two blocks apart. Canadians call them “Timmies”.
Wednesday August 15, 2018
Event Officially Opens. After four years of planning and anticipation the Boler 50th Anniversary celebration officially starts. After you get set-up grab something to eat and start meeting all your new friends
08:00 – 10:30 Winnipeg arrival
10:00 – 12:30 East Caravan arrival
12:00 – 15:00 West Caravan arrival
10:00 – 15:00 South Caravan arrival
17:30 – 19:00 Meet & Greet
19:00 – 19:30 Event Welcoming
20:00 – 22:30 Feature Entertainment
Organizers of the Event – Ian Giles, Don & Rick
I checked out the park, the food trucks and attended the Opening Welcome and then stayed for a little of the entertainer. He was a local singer. He was pretty good. I was exhausted and headed for the trailer.
